5 replies to this topic

[APsit190]

e-Sword 10x running on Windows XP



All,
I've been using e-Sword since 2005, and the changes I've seen in since that time have been huge. At least Rick did one major addition and/or change once a year, and the thing is, they've been big and they've been dramatic. And one thing I reckon we can all agree on, nothing done in half measures. The vast majority have been great, and a few of them have been bad mistakes.

Who remembers the changes made in the module and resource format? No warning given whatsoever! What a nightmare that was. Lots of downloading had to be done because the old format was totally incompatible, Conversion tools created so that the third party resources could work on in the new version of e-Sword, and etc.

Despite the nightmares of that, yet it had to be done. The old database format that was used made e-Sword cumbersome and slow, users experiencing more problems than solutions, and etc.

This change Rick made was no doubt the biggest because everything had to be changed.

I remember some of the great additions that Rick put in e-Sword as well. Things like the Scripture the Bible Harmony, Bible Illustrations and a couple of others. And there were the removals (things taken away) which many of us really liked in e-Sword. Who remembers them?

• Bookmarks
• Single Tab Row option
• The Bible Tree and maybe one or two others
• The Alphabetical Order of the tabs

Well, we have the Bookmarks back, we have Single row tabs back, and we have the Bible tree back, and for that we are really grateful for them. Our e-Sword is very much like the way we want it.

Other changes Rick made, like the Drag and Drop method to change the way we want to have our GUI look are also major, and we really love that. I know I do, and I think its fantastic. The editors in their own window (taken out of the Commentary view) was perhaps the best thing Rick Meyers could have done, and would have been enough at that time.

Not satisfied just to just take it easy, Rick continued his onslaught in making changes to his program, and now we come to the latest changes he made, the 10x series of e-Sword.

When it came out in its Beta version, I have to admit I was stunned and gobsmacked by the changes he made. This was a new look for e-Sword. I guess one could call it, "a total rebuild" of the program.

As I look back in reflection to what has been done to e-Sword over the years in comparison to today, I am left with excitement to the future of this program as I wonder what is ahead. I don't think by any stretch of the imagination that Rick has finished with his rebuild (renovation) of the program, and there is more to come. As Josh said, "he's listening to us," and so if we give him our wishlist of the way we would e-Sword to develop as its own unique Bible program, then I believe we will continue to see exciting things happening.

Blessings,

[jonathon]

Who remembers the changes made in the module and resource format? No warning given whatsoever!

Rick told several people about that change, more than a year before it happened. He requested that they not discuss the change until after he had released the version with the implemented changes.

I remember some of the great additions that Rick put in e-Sword as well. Things like the Scripture the Bible Harmony, Bible Illustrations and a couple of others. And there were the removals (things taken away) which many of us really liked in e-Sword. Who remembers them?

• Bookmarks
• Single Tab Row option
• The Bible Tree and maybe one or two others
• The Alphabetical Order of the tabs

A feature that most people weren't aware of, that went away, and came back, was a split view with one translation set on one book, chapter, and verse, and the other screen set on compare mode, with a different book, chapter, and verse. I haven't yet tested compare and parallel in the split screen.

I am left with excitement to the future of this program as I wonder what is ahead. I don't think by any stretch of the imagination that Rick has finished with his rebuild (renovation) of the program, and there is more to come

I shouldn't make predictions.

On the one hand, I can see a number of additions to e-Sword, that will make it useful for both the novice computer user who is a potential convert, and to the experienced computer user whose theological debates focus on the grammatical structure and vocabulary of the original languages.

On the other hand, e-Sword, in its current incarnation, requires somebody to demonstrate how to use it. Even with the existing documentation, how to do various things is not always apparent to the new e-Sword user.

On the gripping hand, what is the long term future of Windows?

• Pétrus v Lenova (http://www.cuifavoca...a-fourniture-de) doesn't offer any encouragement for OEMs to offer Windows as the only OS. That ruling also puts paid to any attempt to include EFIM in Windows 8, if Microsoft is to attempt to sell to the European market;
• Bott's pie charts (http://www.zdnet.com...-come-from/4469) make it look like Microsoft is diversified, but consider that the iPhone generates more revenue, and profit for Apple, than all of Microsoft's divisions combined, generate for Microsoft;
• Microsoft v B&N is producing some interesting backdraft;
• BRIC, the EEC, and other countries migrating to open standards, and open source solutions, becuase the latter provide greater benefits, at less cost, than closed source, proprietary offerings;

jonathon

[journey]

e-Sword 10.0.7 is a first-class Bible study program that I give thanks for. Rick Meyers should look at his work with great satisfaction knowing that God is using this software around the world for his work. Many using it would not have had the money to buy commercial software, and that includes people in the mission fields. I pray that God continues to bless the ministry and work of Rick Meyers.

[APsit190]

He requested that they not discuss the change until after he had released the version with the implemented changes.

Hi Jonathon,
Thanks for your thoughts.

All I can say about that, mate, is, well no wonder about the huge shock to the system by most of us. But despite the shock it was one of the best things he did when he changed the database format to SQLite.

Perhaps the best thing that he accomplished by it is no more corrupt default e-Sword generated files, like the topic.top and etc.

On the other hand, e-Sword, in its current incarnation, requires somebody to demonstrate how to use it. Even with the existing documentation, how to do various things is not always apparent to the new e-Sword user.

I agree with you, and I think his tutorial videos needs to be revamped so that they reflect the 10x series.

That said, despite there being a learning curve for e-Sword, I am prone to think that it still remains very simple to use without too much help. Even with that said, I think it would be very helpful to actually have a help file as well because the current manual in the way it is in its layout is not broken down to where an actual help page ( a single page) is there for a particular topic. Help files actually break the documentation down to specific help topics.

Again, thanks for your thoughts, bro.

Blessings,

[APsit190]

e-Sword 10.0.7 is a first-class Bible study program that I give thanks for. Rick Meyers should look at his work with great satisfaction knowing that God is using this software around the world for his work. Many using it would not have had the money to buy commercial software, and that includes people in the mission fields. I pray that God continues to bless the ministry and work of Rick Meyers.

I agree with you. But also what Rick has done has also touched the lives of many novice Christians as well. Before I happened on e-Sword I was using Theophilus, but their range of free stuff was and still is extremely meager. But when I happened on e-Sword and seen (back at that time) what was available free, I was gobsmacked. What Rick had available then was like manna sent down from heaven. Like it was being at a banquette.

Then with esnips, and stuff that was available there, then with e-Sword Users with the stuff that was there, I could not believe just how much stuff there was available. Now we have this site as well, and what is available here, here we are seeing a support for a program written by a person who was over 10 years ago in obscurity. No one ever heard of this bloke called Rick Meyers. So from that my understanding is that e-Sword has the largest collection of third party resource modules, and its still growing.

So, yes. You are not just right, but you have never said a truer word, "Rick Meyers should look at his work with great satisfaction knowing that God is using this software around the world for his work." The support that e-Sword has can only come as a result of God blessings this work.

Blessings,

[saved37]

I've been using E-sword for quite a few years now. I have to say Rick has done an incredible job with this software. This is for all intents and purposes my primary Bible study tool. I thank God for Rick and the E-sword program. I'm on board for the long haul no matter the changes. This tool has blessed my study of scripture tremendously.